| James City County, Virginia | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of Virginia | |
 Virginia's location in the U.S. | |
| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1634 |
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| Seat | Williamsburg, Virginia |
| Area - Total - Land - Water | 180 sq mi (465 km²) 143 sq mi (370 km²) 37 sq mi (95 km²), 20. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 47% |
| PopulationEst. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology - (2007) - Density | 61,249 378/sq mi (146/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website: www.jccEgov.com | |
James City County (formally, the County of James City) is a county located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America Daylight saving time ( DST A county of the United States is a local level of government created as a subdivision of a state by the state government or by the federal or territorial government as a subdivision The Virginia Peninsula is a Peninsula in southeast Virginia, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Its population is 61,249 (as of 2007), and it is often associated with Williamsburg, an independent city which is the county seat, and Jamestown which is within the county. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607 As of 2004, the median household income is $66,180[1].
First settled by the English colonists in 1607 at Jamestown in the Virginia Colony, the County was formally created in 1634 as James City Shire by order of King Charles I. Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607 The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony James City Shire was formed in the British colony of Virginia in 1634. Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. James City County is considered one of only five original shires of Virginia to still be extant today in essentially the same political form. The eight Shires of Virginia were formed in 1634 in the Virginia Colony. The Jamestown 2007 celebration marked the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown. Jamestown 2007 is the name of the organization planning the events commemorating the 400th Anniversary
In modern times, the county is a popular site for relocating retirees, and is home to the Busch Gardens Europe theme park, the massive Kingsmill Resort, and the Williamsburg Pottery Factory. Busch Gardens Europe is a Theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles (5 km southeast of Williamsburg. Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group Kingsmill was the name of a Plantation located in James City County Virginia. Williamsburg Pottery Factory is a large multi-structure Retail Outlet store located in Lightfoot Virginia, about 6 miles west of Williamsburg The Historic Jamestowne and Jamestown Settlement attractions combine with Colonial Williamsburg, and are linked to Yorktown by the National Park Service's bucolic Colonial Parkway, to make worldwide tourism to the Historic Triangle a major economic activity for the county. Historic Jamestowne is the official name used for promotional purposes for the original site of the 1607 James Fort and the later 17th century city of Jamestown located on the James The James Settlement was the first permanent English settlement in North America. Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. Yorktown is a Census-designated place (CDP in York County, Virginia, United States. The National Park Service ( NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation Colonial Parkway is a scenic 23-mile (37 km Parkway linking the three popular attractions of Virginia's Historic Triangle of colonial-era communities Jamestown The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula of the United States and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg
Contents |
History
- This section incorporates text from the 1911 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone
17th & 18th centuries
Proprietary colony
The Virginia Company of London was granted a proprietorship (charter) by the King James I of England to attempt to establish a colony in the area we now know as Virginia. The London Company (also called the Charter of the Virginia Company of London) was an English Joint stock company established by royal charter by James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James England had been at war with Spain and was seeking both capital funds and income in the form of royalties. In December, 1606, 3 ships set sail from England, led by Captain Christopher Newport. Christopher Newport (c 1561&ndash1618 was an English sailor and Privateer. Upon reaching the New World at Cape Henry, they selected a site to settle about 40 miles (64 km) inland from the coast along a river to be better protected from attacks by sea from other Europeans. Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia in the Independent city of Virginia Beach. Soon after the establishment of the Jamestown Settlement in 1607 in the new Colony of Virginia, English settlers first explored and then began settling more of the areas adjacent to Hampton Roads and along the James River. The James Settlement was the first permanent English settlement in North America. The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. The James River in the US state of Virginia is a long River, including its Jackson River source
The first five years were very difficult, and the majority of the colonists perished. In 1612, imported strains of tobacco cultivated in Virginia by colonist John Rolfe were successfully exported and a cash crop had been identified. Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. John Rolfe (c 1585 &ndash 1622 was one of the early English settlers of North America. In Agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for Money.
In 1619, the Virginia Company of London instituted a number of changes, to help stimulate more investment and attract settlers from England. In the long view, foremost among these was the establishment of what became the House of Burgesses, the first representative legislative body in the European settlement of North America, predecessor of today's Virginia General Assembly. The Virginia House of Burgesses was the first elected lower house in the legislative assembly in the New World established in the Colony of Virginia in The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Also in 1619, the plantations and developed portions of the Colony were divided into four "incorporations" or "citties" (sic), as they were then called. Fundamentally a plantation is usually a large Farm or estate, especially in a tropical or semitropical country on which Cotton, Tobacco These were (east to west) Elizabeth Cittie (initially known as Kecoughtan), James Cittie, Charles Cittie, and Henrico Cittie. Elizabeth City (or cittie as it was then called was one of four incorporations established in the Virginia Colony in 1619 by the proprietor the Virginia Company. James City (or cittie as it was then called was one of four incorporations established in the Virginia Colony in 1619 by the proprietor the Virginia Company. Charles City (or cittie as it was then called was one of four incorporations established in the Virginia Colony in 1619 by the proprietor the Virginia Company. Henrico City (or cittie as it was then called was one of four incorporations established in the Virginia Colony in 1619 by the proprietor the Virginia Company. Each "cittie" covered a very large area. Elizabeth Cittie not only included land on both side of the James River, but most of what we now know as South Hampton Roads and also included Virginia's Eastern Shore. South Hampton Roads, also known as Southside, is a region located in the extreme southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States.
The Virginia Company's "James Cittie" stretched across the Peninsula to the York River, and included the seat of government for the entire colony at Jamestown Island. The Virginia Peninsula is a Peninsula in southeast Virginia, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake The York River is a navigable Estuary, approximately 40 mi (64 km long in eastern Virginia in the United States. Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607 Each of the four "citiies" extended across the James River, the major thoroughfare of commerce for the settlers, and included land on both the north and south shores. The James River in the US state of Virginia is a long River, including its Jackson River source With the incentives of 1619, many new developments, known as "hundreds" were established.
Wolstenholme Towne, Carter's Grove Plantation
About this same time, downriver from Jamestown, in the southeastern end of what is now James City County near present-day Grove, a fortified settlement known as Wolstenholme Towne was established near the river and just east of the confluence of Grove Creek on a land grant known as Martin's Hundred. Grove (also known locally as the Grove Community) is an Unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula Martin's Hundred was an early 17th century plantation located along about ten miles of the north shore of the James River in the Virginia Colony east of Jamestown However, the population of the town, named for Sir John Wolstenholme, a principal of the Martin's Hundred Society investors back in England, was severely decimated during the Indian Massacre of 1622, and many men, women and children were killed or abducted. John Wolstenholme (born May 7, 1982) was an English Cricketer He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler who played for The Indian massacre of 1622 (also known as the Jamestown Massacre) occurred in the Virginia Colony on Good Friday, March 22, 1622. While it was rebuilt, Wolstenholme Towne was eventually abandoned about 1643, and soon even the location was forgotten as it became one of the lost towns of Virginia. Lost counties cities and towns of Virginia are those which formerly existed in the English Colony of Virginia, or the Commonwealth of Virginia after it became a state
Over 100 years later, the property had become part of Carter's Grove Plantation, itself built around 1753 by the grandson of Robert "King" Carter, who had become one of the wealthiest planters and served for a period as Virginia's acting governor. Carter's Grove, also known as Carter's Grove Plantation, is a 750 acre (3 km² Plantation located on the north shore of the James River in the Grove Robert Carter also known as King Carter (1663 &ndash August 4 1732 of Lancaster County was a Colonist in Virginia and became one of the Another 200 years later, the long-lost the site of Wolstenholme Towne was rediscovered in 1976 during an archaeological dig overseen by Ivor Noel Hume after the Carter's Grove Plantation property came under the ownership of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Ivor Noel Hume is a British born Archaeologist and Author. He studied at Farmingham College and St Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia.
Royal colony, creation of shires (counties)
The privately owned Virginia Company lost its charter in 1624, and Virginia became a royal colony. Warwick County was a County in Virginia which was consolidated with the city of Newport News in 1958 Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River The Virginia Company refers collectively to a pair of English joint stock companies chartered by James I in 1606 with the purposes of establishing In 1634, the English Crown created eight shires (i. The eight Shires of Virginia were formed in 1634 in the Virginia Colony. e. , counties) in the colony of Virginia, with a total population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. James City Shire, as well as the James River and Jamestown which had been named earlier, took its name from King James I, the father of the then-king, Charles I. James City Shire was formed in the British colony of Virginia in 1634. James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. About 1642-43, the name of the James City Shire was changed to James City County.
Middle Plantation, Williamsburg, Green Spring
On high ground midway across the Virginia Peninsula, Middle Plantation was established in 1632 as a fortress in the ongoing conflicts with Native Americans. Middle Plantation in the Virginia Colony, was an unincorporated town originally established in 1632 Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States By 1634, a palisade or fortification had been completed across the peninsula with Middle Plantation at the center. This protected the lower peninsula to the east.
Middle Plantation and James City County were selected for the site of the College of William and Mary in 1693 and became the location of the capital in 1699 after Jamestown was burned (again) in 1698. The College of William and Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, also known as William & Mary or W&M) is a Public university Shortly thereafter, Middle Plantation was renamed Williamsburg in honor of King William III of England. Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia William III or William of Orange (14 November 1650 &ndash 8 March 1702 He is informally known in Northern Ireland and Scotland as "King Billy" The capital was moved to Richmond in 1780 at the outset of the American Revolution. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" The Battle of Green Spring was fought in the county just a short time before the British surrender at Yorktown. (Green Spring Plantation was the former home of Royal Governor William Berkeley). Green Spring Plantation in James City County about five miles (8 km west of Williamsburg, was the 17th century plantation of one of Colonial Virginia's Sir William Berkeley (pronounced "bark-lee" ( Hanworth Manor, Middlesex 1605–Berkeley House Mayfair, London July 9,
19th & 20th centuries
During the American Civil War, the Battle of Williamsburg was waged in York and James City County during the Peninsula Campaign in 1862. Busch Gardens Europe is a Theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles (5 km southeast of Williamsburg. Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc ( (ˈænhаɪzər bʊʃ is the largest Brewing company in the United States with a 48 Kingsmill was the name of a Plantation located in James City County Virginia. Grove (also known locally as the Grove Community) is an Unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Background When Confederate General Joseph E Johnston unexpectedly withdrew his forces from the Warwick Line at the Battle of Yorktown the night The Peninsula Campaign (also known as the Peninsular Campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Some earthworks remain at the site of the Confederate Fort Magruder. Fort Magruder was an high earthen fortification straddling the road between Yorktown and Williamsburg Virginia, just outside the latter city (and former Virginia After the War, Collis P. Huntington extended the new Chesapeake and Ohio Railway through the county to reach new coal piers he had built at Newport News on Hampton Roads. Collis Potter Huntington ( April 16 or October 22 1821 – August 13 1900) was one of The Big Four of western railroading (along with The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century A coal pier is a Transloading facility designed for the transfer of Coal between rail and ship Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River Hampton Roads is the name of both a body of water and the region of land areas which surround it in southeastern Virginia in the USA. Railroad stations were established (listed west to east) at Diascund, Toano, Vaiden's Crossing, Kelton, Ewell, Williamsburg, and Grove. Toano is an unincorporated community in James City County, Virginia, United States. Norge is an unincorporated community in James City County, Virginia, United States. Lightfoot is an unincorporated community which straddles the James City - York county border west of Williamsburg, in the U Grove (also known locally as the Grove Community) is an Unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula In Williamsburg, the temporary tracks initially laid ran down the middle of Duke of Gloucester Street.
After a change in the Virginia constitution in 1871, Williamsburg became an independent city from James City County in 1884, although it remained the county seat. An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Williamsburg and James City County share a combined school system, courts, and some constitutional officers.
Beginning in the early 20th century, preservation and restoration efforts resulted in a major increase in tourism to the county and surrounding area. Attractions developed included Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown Settlement, the Colonial Parkway, Carter's Grove Plantation, and Busch Gardens Europe. Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. The James Settlement was the first permanent English settlement in North America. Colonial Parkway is a scenic 23-mile (37 km Parkway linking the three popular attractions of Virginia's Historic Triangle of colonial-era communities Jamestown Carter's Grove, also known as Carter's Grove Plantation, is a 750 acre (3 km² Plantation located on the north shore of the James River in the Grove Busch Gardens Europe is a Theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles (5 km southeast of Williamsburg. At the turn of the 21st century, new archaeological work was underway at Jamestown and nearby Green Spring Plantation, with the premise of new historical discoveries. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos Green Spring Plantation in James City County about five miles (8 km west of Williamsburg, was the 17th century plantation of one of Colonial Virginia's Each is especially attractive to archaeologists because of the lack of development after the mid 19th century.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 180 sq mi (465 km²), of which 143 sq mi (370 km²) is land, and 37 sq mi (95 km², or 20. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 47%) is water. The James City County GIS office specifies the county as being 115,011. 9 Acres
James City County straddles two major watersheds, the James River Watershed and the York River Watershed. (Both are sub watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which stretches from Pennsylvania to Virginia). Within the James River and York watersheds are eleven sub watersheds: Diascund Creek, Ware Creek, Yarmouth Creek, Gordon Creek, Powhatan Creek, Mill Creek, College Creek, James River, York River, Skiffe's Creek and Chickahominy River. College Creek (formerly named Archer's Hope Creek) is located in James City County in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads region The James River in the US state of Virginia is a long River, including its Jackson River source The York River is a navigable Estuary, approximately 40 mi (64 km long in eastern Virginia in the United States. Skiffe's Creek is located in James City County and the Independent city of Newport News in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads For the tribe see Chickahominy (tribe. Chickahominy also known as "the Chick" is a River in the southeastern portion [1]
Adjacent counties
- New Kent County, Virginia - northwest
- King and Queen County, Virginia - northeast
- Gloucester County, Virginia - northeast
- York County, Virginia - east
- Williamsburg, Virginia - east
- Newport News, Virginia - southeast
- Surry County, Virginia - south
- Charles City County, Virginia - west
National protected areas
Demographics
As of the 2000 census,[2] there were 48,102 people, 19,003 households, and 13,986 families residing in the county. New Kent County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. King and Queen County is a County located in the Middle Peninsula in the U Gloucester is a county of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. York County is a county located on the north side of the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region of the Commonwealth of Virginia Williamsburg is a city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads region in southeastern Virginia Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River Surry County is a county located in the South Hampton Roads region of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United Charles City County is a county located in the US state &mdash officially " Commonwealth " &mdash of Virginia. Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental cultural or similar value Colonial National Historical Park is located in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia and is operated by the National Park Service of the United Historic Jamestowne is the official name used for promotional purposes for the original site of the 1607 James Fort and the later 17th century city of Jamestown located on the James A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 337/sq mi (130/km²). Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume There were 20,772 housing units at an average density of 145/sq mi (56/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82. 05% White, 14. 37% Black or African American, 0. 28% Native American, 1. 46% Asian, 0. 05% Pacific Islander, 0. 44% from other races, and 1. 36% from two or more races. 1. 70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Of the total 19,003 households, 30. 50% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61. 80% were married couples living together, 8. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26. 40% were non-families. 21. 40% of all households were made up of individuals and 9. 00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2. 47 and the average family size was 2. 86.
In the county, the population was spread out with 23. 30% under the age of 18, 6. 40% from 18 to 24, 27. 30% from 25 to 44, 26. 10% from 45 to 64, and 16. 80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93. 90 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there are 91. 00 males.
Economy
The median income for a household in the county was $55,594, and the median income for a family was $66,171. The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula of the United States and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg US Route 60 in Virginia runs 312 miles west to east through the central part of the state generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor Grove (also known locally as the Grove Community) is an Unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state Busch Gardens Europe is a Theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles (5 km southeast of Williamsburg. Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group Males had a median income of $43,339 versus $27,016 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,256. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country 6. 40% of the population and 4. 10% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 7. 30% are under the age of 18 and 4. 80% are 65 or older.
Jamestown and the Busch Gardens Europe theme park, each located within the county, combine with Colonial Williamsburg and other area attractions to share the Historic Triangle's status as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Busch Gardens Europe is a Theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles (5 km southeast of Williamsburg. Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. The Historic Triangle is located on the Virginia Peninsula of the United States and includes the colonial communities of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg With dozens of restaurants, hotels and motels, and resort and recreational facilities, the hospitality industry brings major economic activity to the county. The hospitality industry is a 35 trillion dollar service sector within the global economy
Cities, towns and communities
From the establishment of Jamestown in 1607 through the middle of the 20th century, James City County's economy was based largely on an agriculture, with many farms and substantial tracts of undeveloped forests. After the decline of Jamestown in the 18th century, commerce was centered on Williamsburg, which was partially located within the county. Small unincorporated towns and villages were scattered throughout. The end of the Civil War in 1865 saw some of the larger farms divided into smaller tracts as freedmen established new hometeads. A freedman is a former slave who has been manumitted or emancipated. With the arrival of the railroad in 1881, new access to transportation stimulated more growth. In some areas, Americans from other parts of the country relocated to the county attracted by the land prices and access to markets. One such group of Scandanvian heritage founded Norge. Norge is an unincorporated community in James City County, Virginia, United States.
Williamsburg
Although it received its royal charter as a city in 1722, approximately one-half of Williamsburg was located in James City County for many years. A Royal Charter is a Charter granted by the Sovereign on the advice of the Privy council to legitimize an incorporated body such as a city company The courthouse function was relocated there from Jamestown, where the newer but historic 1770 Courthouse building was erected on Market Square. It was replaced in 1933 with a newer building nearby, and the 1770 building, substantially restored in 1989, is today part of Colonial Williamsburg's attractions. [3]. Much more recently, another larger facility at 5201 Monticello Avenue, near State Route 199 has become the Williamsburg-James City County Courthouse. State Route 199 is a primary State highway in and near Williamsburg Virginia, United States. [4]
In Colonial times, and for about 100 years thereafter, Duke of Gloucester Street actually formed a prominent portion of the James City County border with York County, dividing the city down its primary street. Colonial Williamsburg' is the historic district of the Independent city of Williamsburg Virginia. [5]
After a new Virginia state constitution was adopted in 1871, independent cities, which were not located within counties, were created. An independent city is a City that does not form part of another general-purpose Local government entity Soon, Williamsburg's charter was modified, and it was no longer located within either county. However, although politically separate entities, Williamsburg has remained the county seat of James City County, and they continue to share courts and many other services. A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States.
Towns and communities
There are no incorporated towns in the county. An incorporated town is a Town that is a Municipal corporation. Unincorporated communities include:
Gated residential communities in the county [6] include:
- Colonial Heritage
- Ford's Colony
- Kingsmill
Education
Elementary, secondary schools
The local public school division is jointly operated with City of Williamsburg, and is known as Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools (often abbreviated locally as simply "WJC"). In Law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any Municipality. Croaker is an unincorporated community in James City County, Virginia, United States on the south bank of the York River 10 miles Grove (also known locally as the Grove Community) is an Unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula Jamestown, located on Jamestown Island in the Virginia Colony, was founded on May 14 1607 Lightfoot is an unincorporated community which straddles the James City - York county border west of Williamsburg, in the U Norge is an unincorporated community in James City County, Virginia, United States. Toano is an unincorporated community in James City County, Virginia, United States. Kingsmill was the name of a Plantation located in James City County Virginia. A school division is a geographic division over which a School board has jurisdiction The Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools (locally known also as WJCC or WJC) is a combined Public school division which serves the
The area is also served by Walsingham Academy, and Williamsburg Christian School, each independent schools. Walsingham Academy is a Roman Catholic school in Williamsburg Virginia, and part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond.
Higher education
A campus of Thomas Nelson Community College is located in the county near the Kingsmill development. Thomas Nelson Community College (abbreviated form TNCC) is a two-year college located in southeastern Virginia.
Portions of the College of William and Mary (which is actually a university with post-graduate programs) are located in the county, and the main campus straddles the city-county border with Williamsburg. The College of William and Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, also known as William & Mary or W&M) is a Public university
Industrial
Anheuser-Busch industries and developments have a major presence in James City County. Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc ( (ˈænhаɪzər bʊʃ is the largest Brewing company in the United States with a 48 These include a brewery, the Busch Gardens Europe theme park and the Kingsmill resort and planned community. Busch Gardens Europe is a Theme park located in James City County, Virginia about 3 miles (5 km southeast of Williamsburg. Theme park is the generic term for a collection of rides and other Entertainment attractions assembled for the purpose of entertaining a large group Kingsmill was the name of a Plantation located in James City County Virginia. A new town, planned community or planned city is a City, Town, or Community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically
Just to the east of the Anheuser-Busch properties, in the southeastern section of the county, on the south side of U. S. Route 60, the county's James River Enterprise Zone, an Urban Enterprise Zone is located in Grove. Urban Enterprise Zones ( UEZ s also known as Enterprise Zones encourage development in blighted neighborhoods by offering entrepreneurs and investors tax and regulatory Grove (also known locally as the Grove Community) is an Unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula The 5. 6-square-mile (15 km²) area contains 2,400 acres (9. 7 km²) planned and zoned for industrial uses. James City County is actively seeking additional industrial business in this prime area of the county. The sites within a designated "enterprise zone" offer state and local incentives to businesses that locate in those zones, invest and create jobs.
Since the James River Enterprise Zone's inception in 1996, James River Commerce Center and Greenmount industrial parks have added tenants such as a Ball Manufacturing plant, an aluminum can plant which supplies Anheuser-Busch's Williamsburg brewery. An industrial estate is an area of land set aside for industrial development. A distribution center for Wal-Mart and a Haynes furniture warehouse are also located there. Wal-Mart Stores Inc (or Walmart as written in its new logo is an American public corporation that runs a chain of large discount department stores Recently, a masonry supply firm and a Volvo equipment rental facility have each announced plans to establish facilities. Carter Machinery Company, a Caterpillar dealership with 17 locations in Virginia and West Virginia, announced in May 2007 that is building a new sales and service center on a 23 acre site. Caterpillar Inc ( is a United States -based Corporation headquartered in Peoria Illinois. A large property adjacent to the James River which formerly housed BASF is currently vacant and other additional sites are also available for more development. BASF SE () is a German chemical company and the largest chemical company in the world [2] [3]
Transportation
The county is served by Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 60 along its east-west axis. Interstate 64 (abbreviated I-64) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. US Route 60 in Virginia runs 312 miles west to east through the central part of the state generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor A local transit bus service is offered by the county-owned Williamsburg Area Transport (WAT), with a central route system hub at the Williamsburg Transportation Center. A transit bus (US (also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus) is a Bus used for Public transport purposes Williamsburg Area Transport (WAT is a governmentally-operated agency which provides Transit bus and Paratransit services in the City of Williamsburg, The Williamsburg Amtrak station is located at 468 North Boundary Street in Williamsburg Virginia in the intermodal Williamsburg Transportation Center.
U. S. Route 60 Grove-Lee Hall traffic
For several years in the early 21st century, a major project of James City County officials and Supervisor Bruce Goodson, who represents the Roberts Magisterial District, has been to improve US Route 60 between Grove and Newport News to provide better (faster and more direct) access to Interstate 64 from the industrial sites in Grove which generate a considerable volume of truck traffic, and reduce the same on the existing roadway. US Route 60 in Virginia runs 312 miles west to east through the central part of the state generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor Interstate 64 in Virginia runs west to east through the middle of the state from West Virginia to the Hampton Roads region a total of 298 miles [7]
Access for the industrial traffic to I-64 currently requires a drive of about 4 miles (6. 4 km) in either direction on two-laned sections of U. S. 60 at non-highway speeds through residential areas, sharing the road with local traffic and school buses serving either the James River Elementary School's county-wide magnet program or alternatively, the large elementary school in the Lee Hall community in neighboring Newport News, as well as school buses for other schools going into and out of neighborhoods along the route in both communities. A school bus is a Bus used to transport Children and Adolescents to and from School and school events Lee Hall is a former unincorporated town (or village long located in the former Warwick County.
On a historical note, a very similar roads issue was earlier visited in the 1930s, when the current parallel State Route 143 (Merrimack Trail) was built as part of a four-laned through-route alternative to U. State Route 143 is a primary State highway in the Virginia Peninsula region of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States. Merrimack Trail is the local name for State Route 143 as it passes through portions of York County and James City County and the Independent city S. 60 for increasing volumes of east-west through traffic in the area. Once again, options have been chosen so that the two-laned bucolic nature of Route 60 through the Grove and Lee Hall communities to be preserved without the major impact a widening project would have upon these historic communities.
Skiffe's Creek Connector
In June 2007, Virginia's Commonwealth Transportation Board approved a major portion of the funding needed for the U. The Commonwealth Transportation Board, formerly the State Highway and Transportation Board regulates and funds transportation in Virginia. S. Route 60 relocation project. The relocated divided highway will begin on its western end near the current intersection of Blow Flats Road and, on a new alignment, will cross through the Greenmount Industrial Park to reach the Newport News city limits at the western edge of Skiffe's Creek Reservoir, part of the Newport News Waterworks. Skiffe's Creek is located in James City County and the Independent city of Newport News in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River The portion of relocated roadway planned in James City County is being described as the Skiffe's Creek Connector.
A connection to State Route 143 and enhanced access to Interstate 64 nearby is also under consideration. State Route 143 is a primary State highway in the Virginia Peninsula region of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States.
Newport News section
At the Newport News border, a new crossing of Skiffe's Creek will be built, and the remainder of the roadway will continue on a new alignment and effectively bypass the two lane portion of U. Skiffe's Creek is located in James City County and the Independent city of Newport News in the Virginia Peninsula area of the Hampton Roads S. Route 60 through the historic Lee Hall community, rejoining the current highway near the cloverleaf intersection of Fort Eustis Boulevard near the entrance to Fort Eustis, where there is access four-laned access close by to exit 250 of Interstate 64 as well as an extant four-laned section of U. Fort Eustis is a United States Army military installation located in Newport News Virginia. S. Route 60 which begins there and extends to the east as Warwick Boulevard. US Route 60 in Virginia runs 312 miles west to east through the central part of the state generally close to and paralleling the Interstate 64 corridor In a separate project, portions of Warwick Boulevard east of Fort Eustis in Newport News are currently being widened to six lanes.
Military sites, bases
17th century
A fort was underway at Jamestown very shortly after the colonists began establishing themselves there in May, 1607. Archaeological work has been extensive, and is a major aspect of the current attractions there. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos
- For more details on this topic, see Jamestown Rediscovery. Jamestown Rediscovery is an Archaeological project of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA investigating the remains of the original
By 1634, the settlers of the Colony of Virginia had completed a palisade of approximately 6 miles (9. The Colony of Virginia (also known frequently as the Virginia Colony and occasionally as the Dominion and Colony of Virginia) was the English colony palisade is a steel or wooden Fence or wall of variable height usually used as a defensive structure 7 km) length across the peninsula, anchored by College Creek (earlier known as Archer's Hope Creek) and Queen's Creek, which led to the James and York rivers respectively. The goal was to protect the lower peninsula to the east from attacks by the Native Americans, who were still a threat in the area until after 1644.
The exact location of this line of wooden defenses has been lost to time. A portion was found during archaeological research on the property occupied by the home of Colonel John Page, a person prominent in establishing Middle Plantation and what became Bruton Parish Church during the second half of the 17th century. Colonel John Page ( December 26, 1628 - January 23, 1692) a merchant in Middle Plantation on the Virginia Peninsula, was Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg Virginia, USA. That site is now part of the Bruton Heights School Educational Center, and within Williamsburg's city limits. Although all of the Page home site was originally in York County, the nearly 2,500 feet (760 m) section across the property gives insight into its likely location southerly into James City County. Archaeologists noted its extremely straight orientation, rather following topological features such as ridges or ravines, giving another clue. [8]
- For more details on this topic, see Middle Plantation. Middle Plantation in the Virginia Colony, was an unincorporated town originally established in 1632
19th century
During the American Civil War, the 1862 Peninsula Campaign was a move up the Virginia Peninsula from Fort Monroe at the eastern tip by Union troops in an attempt to take the Confederate capital of Richmond. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The Peninsula Campaign (also known as the Peninsular Campaign) of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Fort Monroe (also known as Fortress Monroe) is a Hampton Virginia, military installation located at Old Point Comfort, which is on the tip of the This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Williamsburg Line, a third Confederate line of defense, extended across the Peninsula just east of town. Construction of the line, largely consisting of a series of 14 redoubts, was overseen by College of William and Mary President Benjamin S. Ewell, who had joined in the defense of Williamsburg. The College of William and Mary (officially The College of William and Mary in Virginia, also known as William & Mary or W&M) is a Public university Benjamin Stoddert Ewell ( June 10, 1810 &ndash June 20, 1894) was a U At Redoubt # 6, near the center, Fort Magruder, an earthen fortification, was located at a strategic point at the juncture of the roads from Lee's Mill and Yorktown to Williamsburg. Fort Magruder was an high earthen fortification straddling the road between Yorktown and Williamsburg Virginia, just outside the latter city (and former Virginia
At Fort Magruder, a few earthworks and a small memorial remain along present-day Penniman Road in a residential area. In early 2006, Riverside Health System donated 22 acres of the 350 acres (1. Riverside Regional Medical Center is a branch of the Riverside Health System. 4 km²) of land that it had bought from Colonial Williamsburg in 2004, to create a public park. The land, located about 1. 5 miles (2. 4 km) south of Fort Magruder (towards the James River), includes two redoubts that were part of the line of defenses made up of 14 redoubts, of which Fort Magruder was the largest.
20th century
The Grove Community in the southeastern end of the county was populated with many African-American families displaced during World War I and World War II as the military reservations for the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown and Camp Peary respectively were created on the sites of the lost towns of Lackey and Magruder. Grove (also known locally as the Grove Community) is an Unincorporated community in the southeastern portion of James City County in the Peninsula African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Naval Weapons Station Yorktown is a United States Navy base in York County and James City County in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia Camp Peary is a military reservation in York County near Williamsburg Virginia. Lost counties cities and towns of Virginia are those which formerly existed in the English Colony of Virginia, or the Commonwealth of Virginia after it became a state Lackey (also known locally in its heyday as "the Reservation" was a small unincorporated community near Yorktown in York County, Virginia Magruder was a small unincorporated town in Virginia near Williamsburg in York County.
At the southwestern edge of Grove, the U. S. Army's Camp Wallace operated from 1918 to 1971. Camp Wallace was a facility of the United States Army located in the unincoporated town of Grove in southeastern James City County in the Virginia It was a satellite facility of Fort Eustis, which was established as Camp Abraham Eustis in neighboring Warwick County in 1918. Fort Eustis is a United States Army military installation located in Newport News Virginia. In this hilly terrain, the base had its Upper Artillery Range. Some years after World War II, Camp Wallace became was the site of the Army's first installation of its aerial tramway. An aerial tramway is a type of Aerial lift in which a cabin is suspended from a cable and is pulled by another cable The Camp Wallace property became part of the Anheuser Busch developments beginning in the 1970s.
21st century
No military installations are currently headquartered in the county. Small portions of Camp Peary and the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station are located in James City County, although most portions of each of these large installation are located in neighboring York County. Also, a very small portion of Fort Eustis property adjacent to Skiffe's Creek Reservoir and the southeastern tip of the Greenmount Industrial Park is also located in the county, although almost all of Fort Eustis is now located in the independent city of Newport News (which consolidated with the former Warwick County in 1958 to form the present large city). Newport News is an Independent city in Virginia. It is at the south-western end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River
Further reading
- McCartney, Martha W. (1977) James City County: Keystone of the Commonwealth; James City County, Virginia; Donning and Company; ISBN 0-89865-999-X
- "Cast Down Your Buckets Where You Are" An Ethnohistorical Study of the African-American Community on the Lands of the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station 1865-1918
References
- ^ Protected with Pride Home Page
- ^ American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes
- ^ Courthouse
- ^ Williamsburg-James City Courthouse
- ^ Courthouse
- ^ http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/williamsburg/dp-news_jcctrash_0117jan18,0,4591313.story
- ^ County receives Rt. 60 proposal to design-build
- ^ John Page Site
External links
- James City County (official website)
- Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
- James City County Office of Economic Development - Open for Business since 1607
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